CANNON BALL, NORTH DAKOTA – September 28 – Police confronted anti-Dakota Access Pipeline protestors with an armored vehicle, automatic weapons, and riot gear on Tuesday. Protesters created a receiving line and greeted each police officer with a handshake.

Approximately 300 protesters including children, the elderly, and about a dozen horse riders, gathered on a county road and adjoining ditch near a construction site for the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) in the rural hills of North Dakota.

Protesters sang songs, listened to elders’ stories, and took pictures of the pipeline.

Police responded to the protest with an armored vehicle, automatic weapons, riot gear, a bus full of officers, surveillance aircraft including two helicopters and an airplane.

The crowd saw the police moving in from some distance. Leaders called for the children, elders, and other people in need of protection to move into the middle of the crowd, protected by younger people on the outside. When the police arrived, younger people also moved to the police side of the crowd.

The leaders called for calm and reminded the protesters to let the police liaisons talk to the police.

The group was instructed to split by the leaders, to make room for passing traffic. Protesters on horseback split the crowd onto the side of the street, traffic to pass. The police did not proceed through the now split crowd, they stopped and created an obstruction, blocking the road.

The police stopped near the protesters and the crowd approached cautiously.

After some anti-DAPL shouting, the protesters formed a receiving line, lining up in front of the police, moving down the line shaking the police officers’ hands. Protesters explained that they were there for the children of the police who live in the area, as well as their own children. Most protesters made direct eye contact and smiled at police as they moved through the line.

One protester offered the police flowers.

Most officers took part in the receiving line, shaking the protestors’ hands. Some police simply waved as to say a friendly, no thanks. A few police simply ignored the offer all together, standing with their arms down, hands crossed across their abdomen. Most looked confused, as if they were anticipating it to turn malicious.

Police later reported they were charged by horses and did not report the handshakes.

No arrests were made at the protest.

Law enforcement officers from Morton County Sheriff, North Dakota Highway Patrol, Burleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and Bismark Police Department were present at the protest.

A surveillance drone was also present but the owner is unknown.

Most protestors were from the Sacred Stone Camp and Red Warrior Camp in and around the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation.

About The Author

So now, here it comes. A stand-of with heavily armed police under the jurisdiction of the sheriff who dearly wants to bust heads and cart people off to jail. Cool heads must prevail. Do not give the so called authorities any excuse to act like animals. They are nervous, adrenaline is pumping, and any reason they can use, even if only fabricated in their paranoid minds, will suffice for all hell to break loose. Greeting them with handshakes was a brilliant idea by whoever thought it up. But saying they were charged by horse riders was indicative of the mind set of whoever called it in, presumably the officer in charge. Please be very careful, it won’t take much to set the officers off on a rampage.

Maria1 year ago

On point with your analogy of police mental state. Good advice…

GT Elmore1 year ago

To slightly misquote Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young re: “The authorities:” – “…..it increases their paranoia — like lookin’ in their mirror and seein’ a carload of American citizens holding them to account…..”

The proverbial tail is now wagging the dog big-time. Absurdity upon absurdity.

Barbara Warner1 year ago

I read where 21 arrests were made.

LaRae Meadows1 year ago

Different incident, the next day, on Wednesday.

Gene1 year ago

So the storm troopers show up with boy toys, armed to the teeth.

Even the “Occupy Wall Street” didn’t have this much action. They were treated with kid gloves…… Until the end.

Don’t give the storm troopers an excuse to raid the camps. If you see garbage trucks coming, then watch out. All the tents were thrown in garbage trucks & compressed.

chili yazzie1 year ago

Standing Rock Strong

we are of the Earth
and the Holy Breath

we honor the Earth
we protect the water
we defend our people

monster black snake intrudes
it pollutes medicines of the Earth
it cares not, if it destroys sacred sites
this snake will poison all our good waters

big bad corporation is set on killing the Earth
Standing Rock is the epicenter of our resistance
Standing Rock is a calling together of good people
corporation been having its greedy way for too long
so it is, that we stand here to make this ultimate stand

we face attack dogs, pepper spray, AR-15s and legal games
in response, our drums resonate the heartbeat of the Earth
our strength is the sacred pipe, our songs and our medicines
our power is the great circle of relations from over the world
our hope for the continuum of life is our banner of humanity
as fragile thankful human beings it is our great responsibility
to return the care to the Earth that she unfailingly gives us

climate change has the life of Earth in the danger zone
our prophesy says we must change that course or die
amassing more profit at all cost is a powerful force
profiteers refuse to see they are killing the Earth
their corporate riches won’t rescue their children

we choose life; we oppose all that threatens it
our plea to the world is that we have reason
if we must, we stand to face the destroyer
we fight for the life of our grandchildren

our struggle is for the life of our Earth
we are her children, her life is our life
we stand for life, truth and justice

we stand to protect the waters
we defend our Earth Mother

We are Standing Rock Strong

chili yazzie-Shiprock, SW Diné

TribalMember and Proud of it.1 year ago

I’m STILL WATCHING AND PRAYING. To the tribes and leaders. They are doing a good job at Protecting our Elders and Children. These are our futures and who we are. To hear of them being protected in a circle of other members is comforting to know.
Let me express again though, SAFETY FIRST.
If these people choose not to greet in a friendly manner, that is up to them. We should not take this to heart. They are Themselves we are us. We are to Protect each other and do this in a Peaceful manner despite what is going on around us.
REMEMBER We have meetings in the coming months with all 567 Federally Recognized Tribes being heard. We will Use the Law to do what it is set in place for, to Serve Justiice and NOT ignore the injustices of this country.
ALSO – on a side note but important as well –
KEEP YOUR PHONES CHARGED AT ALL TIMES AND BE SURE YOU VIDEO AS WELL AS SOUND RECORD ANY INCIDENT YOU FEEL IS UNJUSTIFIED OR IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM IS UNCALLED FOR TOWARDS OUR PEOPLE.
Then save those videos, photos and upload them onto iCloud or a similar type of software storage for future secure viewing. IF need be, these CAN be used in a court of law.

The revolution must remain nonviolent or it will fail and fall into the same old same old, and the only winners will be the same people with guns. The sheriff and the corporations understand this and will use any excuse to bring on violence. The lie about being charged by the horses is part of the story to make it plausible that all the “boy toys” and extra personnel expense is needed to keep these peaceful unarmed “savages” under control. So far, the violence from the corporations has been noted by the public, & that has embarrassed the powers-that-be. It would be useful to check out the civil rights law and remind the DOJ to inform the state there are serious consequences for the desecration of religious and historical sites and interference with free practice of religion.

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